The subject invention relates to the processing and vulcanization of diene polymer and copolymer elastomer-containing rubber stocks. More specifically, the present invention relates to the processing and vulcanization of diene polymer and copolymer elastomer-containing, silica-filled rubber stocks using a fatty acid ester of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated sugars as a processing aid.
In another embodiment, the present invention relates to the processing and vulcanization of diene polymer and copolymer elastomer-containing, silica-filled rubber stocks containing additional mineral fillers.
In the art it is desirable to produce elastomeric compounds exhibiting reduced hysteresis when properly compounded with other ingredients such as reinforcing agents, followed by vulcanization. Such elastomers, when compounded, fabricated and vulcanized into components for constructing articles such as tires, power belts, and the like, will manifest properties of increased rebound, decreased rolling resistance and less heat-build up when subjected to mechanical stress during normal use.
The hysteresis of an elastomer refers to the difference between the energy applied to deform an article made from the elastomer and the energy released as the elastomer returns to its initial, undeformed state. In pneumatic tires, lowered hysteresis properties are associated with reduced rolling resistance and heat build-up during operation of the tire. These properties, in turn, result in lower fuel consumption for vehicles using such tires.
In such contexts, the property of lowered hysteresis of compounded, vulcanizable elastomer compositions is particularly significant. Examples of such compounded elastomer systems are known to the art and are comprised of at least one elastomer (that is, a natural or synthetic polymer exhibiting elastomeric properties, such as a rubber), a reinforcing filler agent (such as finely divided carbon black, thermal black, or mineral fillers such as clay and the like) and a vulcanizing system such as sulfur-containing vulcanizing (that is, curing) system.
Previous attempts at preparing readily processable, vulcanizable, silica-filled rubber stocks containing natural rubber or diene polymer and copolymer elastomers have focused upon the sequence of adding ingredients during mixing (Bomal, et al., Influence of Mixing procedures on the Properties of a Silica Reinforced Agricultural Tire Tread, May 1992), the addition of de-agglomeration agents such as zinc methacrylate and zinc octoate, or SBR-silica coupling agents such as mercapto propyl trimethoxy silane (Hewitt, Processing Technology of Silica Reinforced SBR, Elastomerics, pp 33-37, March 1981), and the use of bis[3-(triethoxysilyl) propyl]tetrasulfide (Si69) processing aid (Degussa, PPG).
The use of Si69 processing aid in the formulation of silica-filled rubber stocks has been successful, but generally requires a large amount of the additive, such as 10% by weight based on the weight of silica, in order to be effective.
Precipitated silica has been increasingly used as a reinforcing particulate filler in carbon black-filled rubber components of tires and mechanical goods. Silica-loaded rubber stocks, however, exhibit relatively poor processability.
The present invention provides a fatty acid ester of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated sugars for use as a processing aid for silica-filled rubber stocks, which greatly improves the processability and properties of the formulations and the resulting vulcanized product. In another embodiment, the present invention further provides additional mineral fillers for use in silica-filled elastomeric rubber stocks, improving tear strength and lowering hysteresis.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide processing aids which improve the processability of formulations of diene polymer elastomers reinforced with silica-filler.
It is another object of the present invention to provide mineral and non-mineral fillers which improve the processability of formulations of diene polymer elastomers reinforced with silica-filler.
It is another object of the present invention to provide formulations of diene polymer elastomers reinforced with silica-filler having improved processability with decreased levels silanes.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a process for improving the processability of formulations of diene polymer elastomers reinforced with silica-filler.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for reducing the viscosity of silica-filled elastomeric vulcanizable compounds.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a process for decreasing the level of silanes in silica-filled elastomeric vulcanizable compounds.
It is another object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable silica-filled elastomeric compounds having enhanced physical properties, including decreased hysteresis and increased tear strength.
At least one or more of the foregoing objects, together with the advantages thereof over the existing art, which shall become apparent from the specification which follows, are accomplished by the invention as hereinafter described and claimed.
The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a silica-filled, vulcanized elastomeric compound comprising mixing an elastomer with from about 5 to about 100 parts by weight of a reinforcing filler per 100 parts of elastomer, wherein the reinforcing fillers are selected from the group consisting of carbon black and silica filler; from 0 to about 20 percent by weight of a silane, based upon the weight of the silica filler; a cure agent; from about 0 to about 20 parts by weight of a processing aid selected from the group consisting of fatty acid esters of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated C5 and C6 sugars; from about 0 to about 20 parts by weight of a processing aid selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene derivatives of fatty acid esters of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated C5 and C6 sugars; from about 0 to about 40 parts by weight of an additional filler other than silica or carbon black, with the provisos that at least one of the processing aids or additional fillers are present; that if the processing aid is sorbitan monooleate, then at least one of the polyoxyethylene derivatives or additional fillers is also present and, that the minimal amount for each processing aid and additional filler, if present, is about one part by weight; and, effecting vulcanization.
The present invention further provides a vulcanizable silica-filled compound comprising 100 parts by weight of an elastomer; from about 5 to about 100 parts by weight of a reinforcing filler per 100 parts of elastomer, wherein the reinforcing fillers are selected from the group consisting of carbon black and silica filler; from 0 to about 20 percent by weight of a silane, based upon the weight of the silica filler; a cure agent; from about 0 to about 20 parts by weight of a processing aid selected from the group consisting of fatty acid esters of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated C5 and C6 sugars; from about 0 to about 20 parts by weight of a processing aid selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene derivatives of fatty acid esters of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated C5 and C6 sugars; from about 0 to about 40 parts by weight of an additional filler other than silica or carbon black, with the provisos that at least one of the processing aids or additional fillers are present; that if the processing aid is sorbitan monooleate, then at least one of the polyoxyethylene derivatives or additional fillers is also present and, that the minimal amount for each processing aid and additional filler, if present, is about one part by weight.
The present invention further provides a pneumatic tire employing tread stock manufactured from the vulcanizable silica-filled compound of the present invention.